Expedition to Albania, Hekurave, 2012

Category: Activities Published: Saturday, 15 September 2012

After a break last year we organized Slovenian-Italian expedition to mountains Hekurave in far north of Albania. Expedition lasted from 31.8. to 11.9.2012. This time we explored in two groups. A small group of three Italians was exploring eastern plateau. A bigger group of five Slovenians and four Italians set up a camp at the cave Shpella e Zeze and explored the cave where we left two years ago. The weather was fine but due to many fires the landscape was hazy. In turn we were eager to go in the cave as there was more fresh air than outside..
Despite being relatively horizontal the cave became tiring. A good part of cave that goes along drought is too small to walk and one has to duck or crouch. Of course the cave didn't spare us of narrows. The most exhausting of them is meander "Happy birthday" especially in a company of a cumbersome bag. A trip in new parts can easily take sixteen hours or more and there is no place for bivouac (with water).
Still the result was not bad. We explored and surveyed 400m of cave and there were approximately 200m of unsurveyed cave plus a good chance that a cave goes on a long way.
Participants: Milan Podpečan (JK Speleos-Siga Velenje), Rok Stopar (JD Dimnice Koper), Ivo Sedmak, Marjan Vilhar, Matjaž Milhračič (DZRJ Luka Čeč), Louis Torelli, Dario, Paolo Gabbino (CGEB) and Vicky Franchini (GGB)

On friday 31.8 we started a long ride to Albania.
On sathurday we were driving around Albania.
Water level in Fierze lake was very low due to alck of rain.
Fires on the hillsides around Lekbibai.
Soon after arrival we packed and organised equipment for next day.
On sunday a truck took us as far as the road allowed.
After a good hour the ride was over.
We loaded eight horses and headed towards Querec.
The path to Querec was wraped in smoke.
The path to Querec was wraped in smoke.
Along the way we saw some burnt grass but near the camp we croosed an actual burn site.
Refreshing water a few steps from camp.
After five hours and eleven kilometers we reached the camp site.
Hillside near the camp was also smoky.
At night we saw that where there's smoke there's fire.
On monday we headed towars cave. Fire went through here as well
We furnished an old hoe with a fresh helve and made stairs on slope.
An entrance of cave Shpella e Zeze.
A room that we used as dressing room.
This is where we had to put a harness on.
Milan installed all the rope behind the nottorious meander.
We ran ou of equipment at the bottom of a vertical meander.
A group photo and then a long way out.
After a day of rest we went in the cave again on wednesday.
This time we went together with Italians
There were many of us but the deeper we went the fewer were left.
Again we ran out of equipment and heade out.
Tired Milan
Tired Rok
Tired Marjan
We returnet to the light of day on thursday morning and rested most of the day. In the eveninng we took refuge from rain
and enjoyed the pleasures of the table.
The rain cleaned the air and we woke up to a fresh morning on friday.
We went in Shpella e Zeze for the last time.
A view of the camp.
This time we went to broaden a narrow not far from entrance.
There was time for photography too.
Stones covered with black sinter.
Throughout the cave there is a red rock.
Entrance hole.
In teh meantime they broadened a good part of the narrow.
Unfortunatelly not enough to pass through.
In the evening we had a drink to honour Milan's and Dario's birthday.
We spent most of the sathurday cleaning, countng and packing equipment and washed ourselves in the cold water one more time.
On sunday morning we took down our tents,
packed what was left,
loaded seven horses
and went towards the valley.
On our way we came across some still hot burn sites.
Due to very dry soil we ate dust.
We arrived in village Batoshe.
We discharged the horses
and took a truck to Lekbibaj.
Before we started our long ride on monday we refilled tires.
A view
On tuesday morning we had a swim in the sea. In the evening we were home.